Shoe upper and method of cutting the same



'Dec. 15, 1931. J. LEVOTCH SHOE UPPER AND METHOD OF CUTTING THE SAMEFiled March 11, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VZ'N T 012 QZIZStEj ZG/M Dec.15, 1931. J. LEVOTCH 1,836,926

SHOE UPPER AND METHoD'pF CUTTING THE SAME Filed March 11, 1931 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Il r5117 Q ell 296% eyflici Patented Dec. 15, 1951 FATENT@FFI'CE JOSEPH LEVOTCH, OF CAMDEN, NEVI JERSEY SHOE UPPER AND lMETI-IODOF CUTTING THE. SAME Application filed March 11, 1931.

My invention relates to new and useful improv ments in shoe uppers andthe method of cutting the same and has for one of its objects to providea device of this character which will be simple in construction,inexpensive in the cost of manufacture and which may be assembled in anarticle of footwear with less likelihood of damage during the process ofmanufacturing the article of footwear, therefore seldom requiring themaking or repairs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shoe upper fashioned bythe method to be herein described which will be more comfortahle to thewee or and have a more pleasing appearance principally because the upperis not w inkled and the shoe will not become crooked during the time itis worn.

A further object of the invention is to so fashion the shoe upper thatit may be readily attached to the bottom or sole of the shoe withoutwrinkling, thereby eliminating the ironing operations and the consequentpossible damage to the leather and the waste of time for such ironingoperations.

With these ends in view, this invention consists in the details ofconstruction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and thenspecifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains may understand how to make and use the same, I will describeits construction in detail, referring by numerals to the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this application, in which Fig. 1 is a planview of a bottom or sole of a shoe that was generally made years ago andto some extent is still manufactured today.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged face view or plan portion of a shoe upper or thepattern hoe upper used particularly in the manac ore of a slipper andshowing both sides the vamp and the quarters to be alike suitle for "usein connection with a shoe bottom r sole illustrated in Fig. 1, andgenerally used the present time in the manufacture of articles offootwear having a bottom or Serial No. 521,651.

sole of different shape from that illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 folded on its median line.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating the shape orconfiguration of the present-day bottom or sole of an article offootwear.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan or face view of a portion of a shoe upper,the same being the combined vamp and quarters or a blank or pattern ofthe same when constructed in accordance with my invention.

, Fig. 6 is a vamp only of that part of the shoe upper illustrated inFig. 5 folded along its median line.

Fig. 7 is a view of the quarters or the blank or pattern thereof foldedor super-imposed one on top of the other, the outer one being on thetop.

Fig. 8 is a similar view with the quarters positioned so that theirbottom edges are coincident with each other.

Fig. 9 is a view of the article illustrated in Fig. 3 folded along itsmedian line.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the complete upper of a high shoeutilizing the elements and method of my invention for the constructionthereof.

Fig. 11 is a view of the top quarters with the outer top quartersuper-imposed on the inner one.

Fig. 12 is a view of the parts of a'boot pper folded or superimposed oneupon the other.

Years ago or formerly, the bottoms or soles of shoes were fashioned onwhat might be termed symmetrical lines. In other words, both halves ofthe bottoms or soles were equal and as shown in Fig. 1, the line a, 0,e, b is the same length as the line a, d, f, Z) and therefore the linea. Z) divides the bottom or sole into two equal halves. The line 0, (Zdivides the ball of the sole, marked B, from the shank, marked S. whilethe line 6, f divides the shank from the heel, marked H. A line g, h islocated on the transverse center of the shank and further shows theequality of the several parts of the shoe bottom or sole because theparts above this line on either side of the line a, b are equal to eachother while the parts below the line g, h on either side of the line a,b are also equal to each other.

To fit such a shoe bottom or sole, an upper of an article of footwearwas produced to coincide therewith and a portion of such an upper isillustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 wherein represents a vamp while 16 and 17represent the lower quarters formed as an integral article or sewn orotherwise connected therewith and where the quarters are separate fromthe vamp they may be produced from a single piece of material orconnected along the contiguous or meeting edges falling on the medianline 2', 7a. A line a, 0 drawn through the rear corners of the vamp 15will be at right angles to the line 2', 7c, and a line 2', Z, drawn fromthe toe to one of the corners will form a triangle 2', Z, 72 equal tothe triangle 2', m, 72 when the line 2', m is drawn from the toe to theother corner and this will become particularly apparent by reference toFig. 3 which shows the upper or the portion of the upper illustrated inFig. 2 folded on the line 2', 70.

Such uppers of symmetrical design or equal measurements are at thepresent time used for slippers, half-shoes, shoes and boots.

This symmetrical or equal arrangement of the shoe upper is impracticalbecause the human foot is not the same on both sides of thelongitudinal. center or median line. Furthermore, the modern last isbuilt to more closely resemble the shape of the human foot and thesymmetrical or equally constructed upper, although still manufactured,does not fit said modern last and shoes made thereon are not well fittednor comfortable.

Fig. 4, illustrates the bottom or sole of a shoe constructed for use inconnection with the modern last which is most widely used at the presenttime. This bottom or sole shows unequality of measure ment. The centerline a, Z) which runs from the middle of the toe to the middle of theheel does not divide the bottom into equal halves. A line a, 79 whichruns from the middle of the toe to the outside of the heel divides theball of the bottom into substantially equal halves but said line a, 7)does not lie in a straight direction to the heel and a line (7, Z) whichdoes pass through the middle of the heel runs to the outside of the toeand while it divides the heel into two substantially equal halves isconsiderably to one side of the center line of the ball of the bottom orsole.

Like in the illustration in Fig. 1 the line 0, (Z and e f divide theball of the sole from the shank and the latter from the heelrespectively and the arrangement and location of these lines plainlyillustrates that the inner part of the shank is longer than the outerpart and the line 9, 72 which divides the shank into two parts lies inthe exact center of the outer side of the shank but is not in the exactcenter of the inner side of the shank although the distance from g to bis exactly the same as the distance from Z) to h and it is the line 9,72 the foundation on which shoes of correct measurement can be made.

If measurements of the edges of the bottom or sole of the shoe shown inFig. 4 are taken without consideration of the convex portions of saidedges, it will be found that the distance from the middle of the toe ata to the middle of the heel at 6 around the inner edge, relative to theshoe on the foot, is shorter than the distance around the outer edge orpart. The chamfer of the arch at the inner and outer edges of the shankplay no extra part in the length of the measure ment of the foot nor inthe modern last in shoe making.

The old style last, the general shape of which is illustrated in Fig. 1when compared with the modern last, the general shape of which isillustrated in Fig. 4 shows a very marked difference and my invention ismade on exact measurement of the foot and the modern last.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated the upper 18 cut to the modern lastillustrated in Fig. 4, from examination of which it will be immediatelyobvious that the lower rear corners 19 and 20 are not even and the onenumbered 19, which is the lower inside rear corner, is shorter than theone numbered 20, which is the lower outside rear corner, as indicated bythe line Z, on. The top corners 21 and 22 are just the opposite of thebottom or lower corners 19 and 20 because the corner 22 extends outsideof the line Z, 222 while the corner 21 is inside of the foot and themodern last on the top from the inside of the foot is longer than thetop line from the outside.

The line 12, 0 in Fig. 5 indictes that the rear end of the vamp 23 onthe inside of the article of footwear is shorter than the rear end ofsaid vamp at the outside to the same extent as there is a differencebetween the distances from 2" to Z and 2" to 222 because the lines 22.,0 and Z, 222 are parallel but not at right angles to the center line 2",7c.

The shape and arrangement of that part of the upper including the vamp23 and the lower quarters 2% and 25 is such that it c0rresponds with theshape and measurement of the human foot and the present-day last neitherof which is even on both sides. This being true, the upper must be cutin the manner illustrated herein to properly fit the foot and the nodernlast and only by following the measurement and design set forth hereincan shoes of the finest and most exact fit be made. I

In Fig. 6, the vamp 23 which is illustrated in Fig. 5 is shown foldedalong its center line and plainly illustrates the differences betweenthe two halves thereof, the half that is on the inside of an article offootwear is represented by the numeral 26 while the half that occupiesthe outside of the shoe is represented by the numeral 27.

In Fig. 7, the lower quarters 24 and 25 are illustrated super-imposedone on the other with the throats 28 and 29 co-inciding with each otherand shows that when so positioned the main or body portions thereof donot 00- incide and if said quarters are moved until their lower edgesco-incide, as illustrated in Fig. 8, then the throats are moved apart,the throat of the outer quarter assuming a position a considerabledistance forward of the,

throat of the inner quarter.

In Fig. 9, the complete upper is represented as folded before the sewingtogether of the back and inner and outer parts of the quarters. It canclearly be seen that the back, inner and outer parts are not even or donot coincide with each other and when sewn together the whole upper willhave a crooked appearance, but the points 12 and 0 will assume positionsdirectly opposite each other and the upper will then exactly fit thelast.

The upper so far described is particularly adapted for use in a low shoeor slipper and while the upper for a high shoe should be cut on the sameprinciple as that for a low shoe, there is a difference but thisdifference is only that the top quarters 30 and 31, Figs. 10 and 11,must be out according to or to correspond with the bottom quarters 24and the inner back part of the top quarter on the bottom must be thatmuch wider than the bottom inner quarter as the top is longer as isshown by Fig. 9 the backward top corner 21.

The high shoe just as the low shoe must be cut to the measurement of myinvention, and can be made in any style and design. It also can be madewith separate vamp and quarters or with the vamp and quarters in onepiece in which case the top line of the upper will coincide with thebroken line 1", s, in Fig. 10, and the solid lines emerging therewitheX- cept the full quarters, which are cut in one piece, from the top tothe bottom, because this style of full quarter cannot be fitted to thissystem of measurement.

In Fig. 11, the inside and outside top quarters 31 and 30 areillustrated with the outside top quarter superimposed on the inside topquarter.

In Fig. 12, is illustrated a high boot and when a one-piece legging iscut, it must be folded together as shown in Fig. 12, according to thelast, as the inner top line illustrates that the inside bootlegging 32must be wider than the outside portion of the bootlegging 33.

The throat 34 could then be out which will give the correct measurementalong the lines 15, u and o, 10. According to the leggings, the vampmust be cut to the measurement shown by Fig. 6, the outside of the vampbeing longer than the inside thereof. The quarters of the boots 35 and36 must be out along the same principle as illustrated by Figs. 7 and 8.However, the legging parts must be sown together before the quarters arefitted to them; the quarters must be sewn together from the back beforethey can be fitted to the bootlegging.

To cut and to fit uppers to equal measurement as is done today is alittle easier, but to make the shoe from these uppers is very difficultfor the workers. It also creates considerable trouble for the shoemanufacturer because the equally measured upper does not fit the modernlast and consequently causes much damage. Therefore, many shoes have tobe repaired before they can be dis posed of. A great deal of money andtime are needlessly wasted in making shoes from equally measured uppers.Hence the customer does not get much satisfaction from this kind offootwear.

To the measurements of my invention can be made boots, half-shoes, highshoes, slippers, sandals, etc., nail-soled shoes, welt and turned shoesor others of any type in any and all sizes and widths, any kind of outand design and from skin, cloth or other suitable material.

The advantages of using this system of measurement is as follows:

Easier manufacturing; easier making; less damage incurred, thereforeseldom requiring repairing; costs less; more comfort able to the wearer;and having a more pleasing appearance. On the whole they have a muchgreater value.

The shoe will not become crooked during the time it is worn because thelines 2", 7s and n, 0 assume their proper positions without forcing.

By the use of my method of measurement:-1. During the time the shoe ismade there is no trouble with wrinkles, especially in turned work,therefore no time is wasted in ironing to make the skin smooth and thepossible consequent burning is eliminated. 2. It is easier to set theheels, especially wooden heels on womens shoes. 3. It is very easy toset the heels on womens turned shoes because the heel seat is smooth andstraight without any ridges or lumps as the points a and 0', 11 and 20,21 and 22 will be exactly opposite each other. 4. There will be nosack-like wrinkles around the heels in satin or any other kind of clothshoes. 5. There will not be so much damage incurred by stretching andthe possible consequence tearing and ripping of the material to make theupper lay straight on the last. 6. There will be no burning of the skinor other material because there are no wrinkles on which to use a gas,electrical, or other heated iron. 7. There will be no crooked sides,back or front during the time the shoe is being manuill factured. 8.There will be a considerable saving, at least seventy-five per cent, infixing and repairing when finishing the shoe.

A shoe made in accordance with my method of measurement will becomfortable to the wearers foot. There will be nothing to hurt the footbecause every part of the shoe will lay in its proper position. No partof the upper will force another part out of its place.

That part of the vamp which covers the big toe, at the beginning of thetoe box will not press the foot and will not become creased and wrinkledas in the case of a shoe made on the equal style of measurement. Neitherwill there be any wrinkles in the arch chamfers of the vamp at theinside or outside of the shoe.

The wearer will not be able to turn the shoe to the inside or theoutside of the foot so easily and therefore the shoe is more likely toremain straight.

The heel lining of the shoe, especially the low shoe will not wear outso quickly because the lining will remain stationary .instead ofconstantly moving as in the shoe made by the equal measurement method.The quarters around the ankles of the low shoe will not open during theact of walking but will remain snug about the foot of the wearer. Alsothe sides of slippers near the vamp will not open during the act ofwalking but will fit closely to the foot.

The high shoes will not have abnormal wrinkles in the top quartersneither will the boots have wrinkles on the leggings, because thequarters and the sides of the leggings will not pull each other.

To make the uppers by the equal measurement method, it costs from to ofall the work of turning out the finished shoe.

By the use of my method of measurement and cutting, it will take fromone to three per cent more work in cutting and fitting the uppers butwill require from twenty to thirtyfive per cent less work in actuallymaking, finishing or assembling the parts of the shoe.

The results or advantages of my method of measuring an d cutting shoeuppers are 1. Less trouble for the working man.

2. Less trouble for the manufacturer.

3. Less work required to produce the finished product.

4. Better looking shoes.

5. Greater comfort for the wearer.

6. Shoes having twenty-five to fifty per cent more wearing qualities.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details ofconstruction as herein shown, as these may be varied within the limitsof the appended claims without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and usefulis 1. A shoe upper including a vamp in which,

when the upper is laid fiat, the rear end of the outside part is agreater distance from the front end of the vamp than the rear end of theinside part, lower quarters connected with the vamp, a line connectingthe rear ends of said quarters from the inside portion of the upper tothe outside portion thereof extending substantially at an angle to aperpendicular to the longitudinal medium line, with that point whichbecomes the lower rear corner of the inside quarter in the finishedarticle of footwear being nearer to the front end of the vamp than thatpoint which becomes the rear lower corner of the outside quarter, thepoint which becomes the upper rear corner of the inside quarter beingpositioned relative to the front end of the vamp, forwardly of the pointwhich becomes the lower rear corner of the same quarter and the pointwhich becomes the upper rear corner of the outside quarter beingpositioned, relative to the front end of the vamp, forwardly of thepoint which becomes the lower rear corner of the inside quarter andrearwardly of the points which become the upper rear corner of theinside quarter and the lower rear corner of the outside quarter.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 in combination with top quartershaving their lower edges fashioned to correspond with the contiguousedges of the vamp and lower quarters and the rear edge of the inner topquarter extending beyond the rear edge of the outer top quarter whensuper-imposed one on top of the other with their forward and upper edgescoinciding.

3. A shoe upper including a vamp in which, when the upper is laid flat,the rear end of the outside part is a greater distance from the frontend of the vamp than the rear end of the inside part, lower quartersconnected with the vamp, a line connecting the rear ends of saidquarters from the inside portion of the upper to the outside portionthereof, extending substantially at an angle to a perpendicular to thelongitudinal medium line, with that point which becomes the lower rearcorner of the inside quarter in the finished article of footwear beingnearer to the front end of its vamp than that point which becomes therear lower corner of the outside quarter, thepoint which becomes theupper rear corner of the inside quarter being positioned relative to thefront end of the vamp, forwardly of the point which becomes the lowerrear corner of the same quarter and the point which becomes the upperrear corner of the outside quarter being positioned, relative to thefront end of the vamp, forwardly of the point which becomes the lowerrear corner of the inside quarter and rearwardly of the points whichbecome the upper rear corner of the inside quarter and the lower rearcorner of the outside quarter, and leg elements having the lower edgesfashioned to correspond to the contiguous edges of the

